Health chief warns of increase heart attack risk to town diabetics

DIABETICS who suffer heart failure have four times the chance of dying within 12 months than those without the condition Government figures show.

The National Diabetes Audit also found that more than a quarter of admissions to hospital with heart failure involve a patient with diabetes.

Wigan’s director of public health Dr Kate Ardern, said: “It is the type two diabetes which is increasing so rapidly. The rise is linked to two factors - increasing age of the population, and secondly increasing obesity, particularly a large waist measurement. Being heavier than you should be is a key factor associated with type two diabetes.

“Wigan Council has commissioned significant public health programmes such as Lose Weight Feel Great to support people to manage their weight and become more physically active, which will have an important impact on the prevention and management of type two Diabetes.

“The good news is that we have seen a downward trend in the prevalence of obesity locally from 28.5 per cent in 2009 to 25.8 per cent in 2012. The borough is one of the very few areas to show such a significant reduction.

“We have also seen an increase in levels of physical activity from 21.3 per cent in 2005 to a 25.6 per cent figure for 2012 - we are the only area in Greater Manchester to show a significant increase and we are higher than the North West and the national average.

“Wigan has also commissioned a new initiative to target people who have blood sugar levels which are higher than normal, but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes.”

The report recorded over two million patients with diabetes and shows people with diabetes have a 73 per cent greater risk of being admitted to hospital for heart failure compared to the rest of the population.